GNP vows to slash tuition, doubts remain

Opposition parties accuse ruling party of copying their fee-cut policy


The ruling Grand National Party has come under fire for its new plan to drastically cut college tuition fees for low-income families.

“We aim at lowering the college tuition fees at least by half for all low-income families,” said Rep. Hwang Woo-yea, the GNP floor leader, on Sunday.

“Though we expect difficulties in securing the necessary financial resources, we shall nevertheless seek ways to minimize the burden of students and parents.”

The margin amount, according to the party, is to be subsidized by the governmental budget.

“We shall set aside the necessary financial resources by slashing construction budgets and calling off some recent tax cuts,” said policy committee vice chairperson Kim Song-sik.

The floor leader is scheduled to meet with Education Minister Lee Ju-ho within the week to discuss further details of the tuition cut plan, officials said.

Despite the growing sense of crisis over tuition fees, the plan has largely been championed by the liberal parties, raising suspicions that the GNP mimicked their moves to win back public support.

“The ruling party has until now denounced our free-for-all welfare policies as acts of populism,” said the main opposition Democratic Party spokesperson.

“We suspect that the GNP’s sudden change of stance may be no more than a pre-election campaign.”

The GNP plan offers de facto exemption to low-income families living on state support, by raising the college scholarship from the present 5 million won ($4,572) to a as much as 10 million won.

Other low-income families are to receive up to 50 percent of the fees, depending on their income level, officials said.

The party also pledged to expand the scope of beneficiaries for student loans and to lower the interest rates.

The number of universities charging each student their 8 million won or more per semester rose to 50 this year, which was a sharp rise from the previous year, according to the Education Ministry last month.

“We have decided that households may no longer bear the increasing burdens of the college tuition fees,” said Hwang.

The GNP’s tuition cut project is expected to cost a total of 2.5 trillion won in its first year alone, officials said.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)